1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power control apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a power control program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine supplies power from a commercial power supply (AC power supply) to a fixing heater to monitor the temperature of a fixing unit incorporating the fixing heater therein. The image forming apparatus controls the supply of power to the fixing heater by controlling the duty of a feeding time and a non-feeding time per unit time in the fixing heater depending on the temperature of the monitored fixing unit, and performs temperature control of the fixing unit.
However, if the temperature of the fixing unit is controlled under the same conditions when the power supply voltage of the commercial power supply varies depending on user's locations (regions where image forming apparatus are used), the input voltage from a commercial power supply may be equal to or higher than the rated voltage. In this case, the fixing heater may consume the power greater than the required power.
Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-233745 discloses a technique capable of controlling the power consumption of the fixing heater by detecting the input voltage from a commercial power supply and controlling the duty of the feeding time and the non-feeding time per unit time in the fixing heater in response to the detected input voltage.
In the related technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-233745, however, when a noise intrudes into the commercial power supply, the input voltage from the commercial power supply may be detected erroneously. Therefore, there is a possibility that the power may not be appropriately controlled.
The present invention is contrived in view of the above-mentioned circumstance, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power control apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a power control program capable of appropriately controlling power even when a noise intrudes into a commercial power supply.
According to the invention, it is possible to obtain the advantage of appropriately controlling the power, even when a noise intrudes into a commercial power supply.